Owners of pools and hot tubs frequently encounter floating debris which must be removed. The floating debris is often manually removed with a skimmer net attached to a long handle. In addition, many pools continuously filter the pool water by circulating it through perforated skimmer baskets that are held in wells formed in the pool sides. Floating debris is captured inside the skimmer baskets, while the pool water drains through the perforations in the baskets and back into the pool. As debris collects in the skimmer baskets, the basket perforations can become clogged to the point where water will no longer flow out of the skimmer baskets so that filtration of debris from the pool water ceases.
In order to prevent skimmer basket clogging, it is necessary to periodically remove the skimmer baskets from wells, and dispose of any trapped debris. The first step in cleaning of the skimmer baskets usually involves removal of the pool skimmer well lids that cover the skimmer wells. The lids are provided so that pool users will not accidently step into the skimmer wells. It is undesirable to put a hook or a protruding handle mechanism on the skimmer well lids since pool users may stub their toe or trip by catching their foot on it. Therefore, most skimmer well lids have flattened tops that are co-planar with the deck surrounding the pool.
Conventional pool skimmer well lids contain at least one small opening, in the form of a circle, oval, or rectangle, into which a finger or hook is inserted to remove the skimmer lid. Removal of the skimmer well lid allows the user to gain access to the skimmer basket resting below in the skimmer well. The conventional method of cleaning pool skimmer baskets requires one to bend over or kneel down in order to remove the skimmer well lid and to remove the skimmer basket from the skimmer well. However, this results in the person's hands contacting pool scum, dead leaves, insects, and the occasional live snake and/or other undesirable live or deceased animals that are entrapped in the skimmer baskets.
Thus, there is a need for a tool that, in addition to straining floating debris from pool water, will enable a user to gain access to pool skimmer wells and to remove skimmer baskets without having to kneel down, and which avoids the need for the user's hands to come in contact with material trapped in pool skimmer baskets.